Her Story
by Sphinxeyes
Summary: Hey look! I'm back! Melody's friends try something a bit more forceful.
1. Melody

Her Story  
By: Hyper Mage  
  
I've started another story without finishing another, what a surprise. Well, this one's about a refugee in Kel's Haven. I thought the idea was awesome, I don't know if it really is.  
  
Melody clutched her precious bundle close to her. She stayed near the front of the group,; near the mage who seemed to posses a lot of power. Most of the of refugees stared at her, especially that Fanche woman, but the mage seemed to think she had something about her.  
"What's in there?" he asked the first time her saw her. She showed him, it was her fathers sword, he had left it in her possesion when he died, right before they were attacked. "Do you know how to use it?" this time Melody shook her head violently; her red hair swinging. Her father had told her that she should only tell whoever was in charge of the refugee camp since they might not have enough soliders to protect the people. he also said "but if they do, don't even mention the sword, those nobles can be very mean when it comes to yamani steal swords." she quickly covered the sword back up.  
The mage had helped her when they were crossing places and when the other refugees had teased her. She thanked him. He just laughed.  
"Oh, it's just that you look so much like a friend of mine." She knew who she reminded him of; the lioness. Now they neared the front, she saw a woman looking down at them. She had short hair, fashioned by the fighting woman of the north. She guessed she was Keladry of Mindalen. Everyone knew that name. She was almost more famous than the lioness, since she didn't have to hide her sex and all the boys knew she was a girl. Melody admired her guts. Even though Meldoy knew how to handle most kinds of weapons, she knew Keladry would know more than her. She entered the camp, it was well organized. Behind her came more of the refugees, all coming inside as if they were sheep being herded in.  
Melody helped unpack things, she was so happy that she was helping right next to Lady Keladry, she couldn't believe that a lady was helping them! She went into one of the barracks, she started to put her things were they belonged when she heard a horn call. She knew what it meant, some enemy was coming. She hesitated, she knew how to use a bow, almost eveyone did, but she wasn't sure if she should since she didn't exactly have orders. She quickly grabbed her bow and arrows and went to the wall. A man named Saefas told her were to go, she was on the north wall, next to a solider, he told her what to do, the battle was over with too quickly, she took a drink of water from the bucket that was bihind her, the solider congratulated her.  
"I must admit, I've never seen a woman who could shot so well, well, not counting those who had military training." He pattyed her on the back and left, Melody was happy when he left since she didn't want a solider to see her blush. She looked down from the ramparts as some of the soliders came in, she looked, intriqued by the order. She saw one of them remove his helmet, his hair dark with sweat. he has nice eyes she thought. He talked to Lady Keladry and left.  
Everyone was ordered down to the center of the camp. Lady Keladry stepped onto a bench, she nodded to some people near her.  
"How many of you shoot bows?Raise your hands I wany anyone over the age of ten or so, no matter if your shoting is good or bad." many hands went up, Melody's included. "all of you with" Lady Keladry pointed at one of the people near the stocks. "When I'm done talking, give Mistress Hildurra your names" The Lady asked another question. Who can use a sling, or a pitchfork. She explained why she asked, they needed more defense, and Melody knew what she had to do. When everyone was leaving, some of the burial volunteers going out of the camp, she made her way to Lady Keladry, but there were already some people around her, she waited silently. When it was her turn, she could baraly find the words.  
"Um, Sir um I mean Lady Keladry-" she baraly managed to get out  
"Just call me Keladry if you must" Lady Keladry said with kindness. Melody shook her head.  
"Oh no Lady, I could never bring myself to call such a wonderful and powerful noble by their first name without titles" She shook her head again.  
"Well, then what is it you might need to tell me, what did you say your name was?" Keladry inquired.  
"My name is Melody, Melody Marcus, I um, have a certain um, what would you call it" She waved her hands around "A certain skill that I think you might need help with." Lady Keladry seem intriqued, it gave Melody the courage to continue. Melody never met Lady Keladry's eyes, "You see, my father was a very old man, he used to be in the Queen's Riders, but when he got out no one in our village would help him, since he had taken the name of a woman who could fight. So my father, in secret, taught me some, um, things, so I could protect myself and hopefully some day join the Queen's Riders"  
"How old are you Melody?" Keladry asked.  
"17 m'am" Melody was taught from the begining never to say more than what she was asked. Kelady looked at Melody's hand, the girl should have been married by now.  
"What can you use" Melody looked thoughful for a couple of seconds  
"Oh,lot's I guess, but I'd say my best are sword and bow. My father also knew of the yamani spear, oh what's it called, the naginata, he started to teach me, but then he died."A slight pause passed between them.  
"Well Melody, you are right that we need more with your skill badly, I'll tell you what, I want one of our soliders to have a little match with you, if you beat him, or get close to beating him, then we'll see were we can put you." Keladry made Melody look at her, "In the mean time, I want you to help out were you can, I need to talk to Merric of Hollyrose he will tell me some things I need to know, then I'll contact you later, Melody Marcus," Keladry walked past Melody, while padding her shoulder. Melody felt her spirits rise as she walked back to her barracks. *This is much better than I thought it would be* She thought as she went to sleep.  
  
Lol, I had to read this part of the book like 5 time before I could write it, some of the story will change thought to include Melody. Review!! 


	2. Merric

Her Story  
By: Hyper Mage  
  
******Note to everyone, I made a terrible mistake on the last part, I had tried to say grandfather, GRANDFATHER!! She had never ever met her fater, thank you.  
  
lol, my story is very interesting and unique, thanxs =). But, just a thought, if there are more ppl reading my story, please review, I beg you *Sobsobsobsniff* anyway, this chapter is going to show my way of thinking bout Merric.  
  
"Absolutly not Kel, think about what a girl could do to the men. What if she falls in love with them, worse, what if they lack in their duty because they fall in love with her," Merric was hyperventaling. Kel just stood there calmly, waiting for Merric to finish.  
  
"I don't remember any of you lacking in your training because of me, I think we should give this girl a try, she said her dad used to be a Queen's rider, maybe we could tune in her training by letting her train with some of your people, if she turns out better, then we'll move her up, sounds like a good deal?" Merric looked at kel.  
  
"Kel, the only reason you never heard about any of us falling in love with you was because we hid it well, not everyone needs yamani training to hide their feelings (A/N: hint hint tammy, I can hide my feelings very well.lol.), and besides, we never knew what could happen. These warriors are not little 14, or 15 year old boys, they're mature enough to know what has happened in the world, and I bet this girl does to." Merric said softly, while his cheeks flared up to the color of his hair.  
  
"My point exaclty, this girl knows what has happened in the world, if she does something to one of your men, then I will personally tell her to step out, just give her a chance, " Kel pleaded with her eyes, she knew she could command him to, but she did not like to pull stations on her men.  
  
"Alright Kel, I give you permission to try her out with William Tunance, he is one of my weaker ones, but not so weak that it would insult her," Merric got up and left the room, shaking his head and muttering something about common woman and mixing them with common men.  
  
Melody was helping a pregnant woman with her load when a warrior came up to her.  
"Miss Melody Marcus, Lady Keladry would like to see you near the Guard Barracks, right next to the well," The guard bowed andleft, leaving Melody and the pregnant woman gawking,  
  
"Now what would the Lady want you to do near the guard house, those nobles, first they say woman should be proper ladies, next they say we should learn how to fight, but that's okay, I like our lady, go dear, I can finish by myself," the pregnant woman made Melody go to the well near the guard barracks where Keladry stood waiting.  
  
"Hello lady, how can I help you?" Melody bowed, hopping this was what she thought it was.  
"Hello Melody, I have gotten permission from Merric to let you test your skills against one of the men, if he does not challange you, or he baraly chalenges you, he says he will cosider it" Keladry hopped that a little white lie would help her try harder.  
"M'am, what if I'm his egual," she eyed the man, he was tall, much taller than her, ad he was well built of at least 3 years of man at arms service.  
"The he says he will not consider you at all" Keladry said with a slight wince. Melody's color faded, she knew that if she dud not make it, she would feel quilty, as if she had dishonored her father's training. Melody nodded, then remembered something timidly.  
  
"Um, m'am, do you have some, um, breeches? I only brought dresses, just in case the commander of the camp was rather, um, rather big on the rules of how a lady should behave," Kelady bit back the slight smile forming on her face, she nodded and gave Melody some clothes. Melody took the clothes and changed. Even thought she sort of prefered the free feeling only one layer of dressing felt, she prefered breeches, since they were easier to run with and less likely to catch onto something.   
  
Finally ready, she went into the small circle formed by the men interested in what the woman was about to do. She looked at her opponent, just looking at him made her think that she was going to be rushed into the infirmary. He was at least a foot taller than her, well built, his muscles showing through his opened shirt. She was ready as he walked up to her.  
  
"Well, you must be Melody, don't worry girl, I won't hurt you unless I have to," he gave her a kind smile, lifting Melody's spirits. She nodded, they both got into the ready position. He attacked first, one of those attacks to see how she would react. She jumped back, not wanting to have a black eye. She attacked next, kicking near the knee, he also jumped back, knowing by how she twisted her body that she would try to swing her leg up and jump, aiming for his head.  
  
"Nice trick little one, good attack fora foe much bigger than you, who taught you?" Melody landed and backed up a little  
"My grandfather," She saw an opening, she acted as if she was going to do the same thing but instead hit under his arm, hard so he would be unbalanced, then she kicked him in the face, since it would be in her reach, his head flew back, he tumbled to the ground, knocked out bye the kick to the face. When she realized it would be him going into the infirmary, she ran up to him, seeing if he was going to live. Neal came into the little circle.  
  
"I'm going to need someone to help me carry this man to the infirmary," Melody went up to that mage, she gave him a quick bow.  
"Sir, I'm trully sorry, will he live?" Neal smiled and nodded  
Don't worry, miss, he will just have a big headache when he wakes up and a couple of days of rest, lucky him, you actually did him a favor," Nel got two soliders to help him carry William and left, leaving Melody with Kel.  
"Very well done Melody, I think it's safe to say that you will be allowed to join, under some conditions, I will really be the one training you, and you will not really be asked to help until we need to battle, is that ok with you?" Melody nodded furisly(sp?) she had seen enough fighting for her taste. Melody bowed and left, not beliving her luck, she looked up and silently gave the gods praise for seeing her through the battle. Merric saw her look up and smile. He silently left to finish training his convicts.  
  
~Later that night~  
  
Merric was on the north wall when he heard someone come up behind him, when he looked he realized it was Melody, holding a cup of some hot liquid.  
"Are you supose to be here miss?" He tried to make it sound nice, but both of them could tell the ice in his voice.  
"I'm sorry sir, but it's just that I really like the night, It' so calming sometimes, to hear the night animals. I also came to give you this as a thank you for giving me a try," she gave him the cup, Merric looked at it suspicuosly(ANOTHER SP?), Melody giggled, "There's nothing bad in it sir, It's a special brew for soliders, to give them blessings and protect them through the cold nights and harsh battles," Merric took a swig, at once he felt warm and happy.  
  
"Are you a mage Melody?" He thought that she was at least a healer.  
"No, You could say I'm kind of a hedgewitch, not much talent in anything, maybe a little fighting, but those aren't really skills for a lady," Melody looked down, Merric could tell the resenment in her voice.  
"You think there's something wrong in knowing how to fight?" Melody went a little closer to Merric, before she was behind him, she didn't want to distract him much.  
  
"Well, it depends, I would have loved to have a chance to go to a convent, learn how to do so many proper things, but knowing how to protect yourself is important, but I still would have liked to have the chance to have many fine things," Merric looked out into the clearing, everything was calm, soothing.  
"What do you think of Lady Keladry then? Is she not proper for you," Melody shook her head.  
  
"Oh no! Lady Keladry is not a noble, she's a god!! She's a blessing to commoners, the way she treats us like equals," Melody looked happy for a second, "I wish I could be like her, so caring, yet so tough, no one would call her, a stupid bitch, with less rights than a whore," Merric heard Melody's voice was cracking.  
  
"You know, you're not entirely right, I remember someone named joren who once got in Kel's way, called her many bad things," Merric took another sip of his drink.  
"What did she do to him?" Melody asked, very interested.  
"Oh, she beat the crap out of him," Merric streched out a bit.  
"Oh," silence streched out between them, Merric thought he might have said the wrong thing. "Well, sir Merric, I must be going now," she bowed at him and started to leave.  
  
"Thanks for the company Melody," Meldoy turned around and smiled.  
"You're welcome," she turned back around, going down the stairs carefully  
  
I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THE ENDING. Notes to ppl:  
  
too lazy to login: my stories's unique!!!! =}  
  
Lady Rogue: thanxs, but I would like it more if more ppl reviewed.  
  
  
THANXS FOR EVERYTHING PPL!!!!! 


	3. Thoughts Revealed

Her Story  
By: Hyper Mage  
  
Well, by popular demand (lol) I'm continuing this story  
  
Melody was 10 again, when her granfather and she used to play solider.  
  
"Report Cadet" He would say, Melody straitened out and saluted.  
  
"Sir! Things are going well. At first I practiced with the commander sir, but she has gotten too busy, so now I practice with the commander of defense. I am proud to say that soon I will train with the regular men."  
  
"At ease. Well done solider, what of friends, any?" Melody's grandpa looked deep into her eyes.  
  
"I'm afraid I'm lacking in that department. I used to think that the commander was a friend, but I'm afraid that was just intrest in another fighter."  
  
"An what of this commander of defense? It's hard to find you not at his side, either training or relaxing," Melody blushed.  
  
"Again, I do not consider him a friend, more like a collegue in training," Melody's Grandpa smiled.  
  
"Well, If you ever change your mind, let me say that he is smitten by you. Hopefully you can see that someday, that his intrest in you is that of a good friend., Well, I must go, the black god will only give me so much time," Melody's Grandpa slowly disappeared. Melody woke up from her dream. She always did like to think she really did talk to her grandpa in her dreams, but somethings he said were simply imposible.  
  
"The commanders intrest are those of warrior to warrior, nothing more," but even though she said this to herself, she couldn't help thinking how nice his smile was, and how red his hair got in the noonday sun. Or how his laughter was so joyful that she had to smile. Melody got up from her bed and made it. She ate breakfast in the hall and went to help some of the weaker woman with their tasks. Then came her favorite time of day, practice with Merric.  
  
"Block higher Melody, Aim lower, Swing harder," On went the comments, and even though it took a while for Melody to register them all, Merric was so used to giving out commands that he didn't notice his mouth move at all. They took a short brake.  
  
"So Mel, what do you think of your practice. Do you think you're getting better?" Merric asked her, giving her one of his side glances.  
  
"Of course sir, if a great noble like you is teaching me, and the commander too, then I must be one of the best," Merric smriked.  
  
"Well, If you think I'm a great noble then it must be true, even though I do not believe it myself  
  
"Oh but you are sire, I don't think that any other noble would even get near me," She said honestly.  
  
"Mel, You think too highly of nobles. I always thought that all commoners just wanted to get a piece of the power any noble has, now I know that not everyone has the same view in life, Melody looked at Merric, the look in his eyes were that of some body talking the truth.  
  
"Sir?" Melody asked quizidly, she really wasn't getting what he was saying.  
  
"What I'm trying to say is, I thought you were just trying to get power and money, but I see you're diffrent, I owe you an apology," Merric was blushing, his cheeks flaming red *what am I doing?* he asked himself * I AM NOT falling for a commoner*  
  
"Um, sir, I've got to go, help, yea, help give out food to the other people bye," She got up and walked quickly away, leaving Meric alone on the hill. *I blew it, I blew my chance at happiness, way to go Melody* melody nagged herself as she left merric.  
  
  
awwwwwwwwww, poor both of them, they looked so nice together *sniffsniff* REVIEW!! 


	4. Mushy Stuff

Her Story  
By: Hyper Mage  
I rather think this chp. is a bit mushy, not really my style, but I gave it a try.  
  
Melody had been avioding Merric for a week, likewise for Merric. Kel noticed something was diffrent, but Melody had her own stone face that only another lump could see through.  
  
"Neal, do you see anything diffrent with Merric?" Kel asked Neal one day during dish duty. Neal looked at Merric who was off in the nearest daydream cloud.   
  
"Well, he seems out of it. I think he might have it for that girl...what's her name?" He said in a sophisticated voice.  
  
"Melody, yes, I think he does, at least he doesn't moon about it like you do," Kel teased Neal, he turned beat red.  
  
"I think we should help our dear friend find what love is about," Neal said, looking eager to help out a friend in need.  
  
"We'll have to do it later, like after our meeting with Wyldon, plus being Commander is hard, even with the clerks, maybe you can do it o' romantic one." Kel walked away when one of the woman called her away.  
*Melody... sigh, why me, out of everyone here why must I be the one to not get it* Merric thought as he stared up at the sky. Merric had been taught to ignore commoners, but this one girl had grabbed his attetion better than anyone could have. *I can't let this one be the one who got away.* He realized, *I have to at least give it a try*  
  
Melody had been trying not to think about anything but work, She too, had been bit by the love bug that was going around, Most girls though, have been mooning over the healer, Sir Nealan of Queenscove, who seemed to have a hearty made of gold. Though most of the nobles teased him, calling him "grandmother" he never let it get a better of him. Melody had laundry duty with her friends when they started talking about him again.  
  
"He is so handsome, his eyes are the thing that get you" said Melody's friend Karren as she washed the clothes.  
  
"No, it's his smile, it's always real, oh how I wish I could marry him." said the girl nexy to her, Bobbi, a girl who seemed to have some yamani ancestry, "too bad he's getting married." All the girls eyes went wide, a couple of them yelled out "what!" Melody already knew that from Merric, She had asked him once when Nealan was in one of his moods. Karren looked at Melody.  
  
"How come you never told us??" She asked Melody. Melody shrugged.  
  
"I didn't want to ruin your daydreams, besides, it's not like any of us have any chance with the knights," She mumbled, Karren understood what the problem was.  
  
"Melody, poor dear, you've fallen for that Merric guy haven't you?" Karren put her arm around her, most of the girls awed in sympathy. They all knew most of the girls had a crush on Neal, but it was very rare for someone to fall in love with another one.   
  
"It's not that, but It gets in my way of learning how to battle, I....I don't think he would return any type of emotion I would show him, since I'm not a noble," Most of the girls saw a tear go down her cheek, again the girls felt pity for Melody.  
  
"You know what you have to do Melly? You have to up to him and tell him, that way you'll feel better if he knew," Bobbi said with conviction, Melody just shook her head, she started washing her clothes again, she wanted to stop discussing her private life for everyone to hear.  
  
"It's probably just a crush, I'll get over it, don't worry," Everyone reluctantly got back to work.  
  
  
Merric found a note stuck on his door, he heard some girls giggling and sighed. He took it inside and read it.  
Dear Merric of Holleyrose:  
  
I'm writing this for my love-struck friend Melody. She really like you and thinks you have no interest in her, we all know this isn't true, we've seen the way you look at her, SO TELL HER ALREADY.  
  
Sincerely,  
Melody's Friends   
Merric's eyerbrows shot up in disbelief, *So, some commoners have figured it out and wrote this down as a joke, it's a good joke, but heartless* He sigh *If only it was true* He crumbled it up and went to bed.  
Sulwen of Great Smials: HERE YA' GO!!  
  
Rhiannon  
: THANXS SOOOOOOOO MUCH, I feel so muich better. 


	5. Plans

Her Story By: Hyper Mage.  
  
Wow, when had I last written? well, I guess my writer's block lasted longer the I thought it would. For all of you who have been waiting patiently,(or those who have forgotten this story existed) Here ya' go!  
  
"Gods, he crumbled it up!" Karren whispered to the other girls.  
"Seriously, men are so stupid, we're going to have to tell him."  
"Tell him what?" Said an calm voice behind them. They ally froze and slowly turned, there stood Keladry.  
"Hello Miss, well, you see we, um, where doing a friend a favor and uh-" Karren smiled nervously, she hadn't thought of the consequences if they were caught.  
"You mean you were trying to help Merric realize that it doesn't really matter that Melody is a refugee?" Keladry asked nicely, they all gave sigh, at least she understood.  
"It isn't fair Miss! We see Melody mopping around and we feel sad because we know she's being foolish and that Sir Merric does like her."  
"Well, I think we should leave it to her to realize that," Keladry walked away, going on with her nightly patrols. They waited a while before continuing with their plans.  
"Well, I don't think Sir Merric is going to realize that Melody likes him, I say we take matters into our own hands.  
  
"Melody! Concentrate! You're going to let the soup burn! Seriously child, you must stop signing up for cooking if you can't concentrate," Melody napped from her dream and removed the cauldron from the fire.  
"I'm so sorry miss! I just haven't been sleeping well."  
"It must be the training, women should not waste their time on that, we are weaker then men and should be submissive, go to bed child, you need your rest." Melody bowed and walked towards her barracks. As she started to go through the doorway, she heard someone yelling her name, a rather loud and conversive Karren.  
"Melody! Finally! I've been yelling for you since you left the cookhouse!"  
"What is it Karren?"  
"Well, some of the girls and I where thinking we should set you up on a blind date, after supper tonight."  
"What?" "Well, we thought that Sir Merric is a stupid lug-head, so we decided to set you up with one of the new refugees." Melody didn't say anything for a while, then shook her head.  
"I'm sorry, I couldn't, it wouldn't feel right," Karren's smiling face went blank.  
"But he already said yes." Melody sighed.  
"Alright, Alright I'll go." Karren was jumping up with glee.  
"Meet him near the gates then, bye!" Karren ran off to meet her friends waiting for her.  
"She said yes!" Karren whispered.  
"Alright, now to find Sir Merric." Louise saluted Karren and ran with a basket on her arm towards the solider barracks.  
  
Merric had been taking his noonday break, he was outside while Louise brought him his lunch.  
"Thank you miss," he said politely. She blushed.  
"Melody had said you would be polite."  
"Oh, Melody talks about me?"  
"Oh Yes! She isn't much of a talker but when we get talking about the men of the camp she can't stop talking about you!" Merric's noticed he was smiling recklessly.  
"Does she talk about anyone else?"  
"No, she only talks about you, but you see, she thinks you don't like her and always ends her sentences by 'but he would never look at a stringy commoner like me the way I see him'."  
"Is that so? I wish I could prove her wrong."  
"Well, your chance is coming up. We told Melody that we set her up on a blind date with someone, she thinks it's another refugee, she wasn't really happy and we practically had to bully her into accepting! Meet her after supper near the gates and she'll get her surprise! Oh! I'm so happy we could do something for everyone! We always feel so sad for Melody, she lost everyone you know."  
"She did?" Merric had not heard that from Melody's lips.  
"That's true, no one in her family is alive, look at the time, I have to run, Latrine duty." Louise ran off and left Merric to think.  
  
Wow! I know it has been a long time since I've written, hopefully people still like this story. 


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